Starting off our Countdown to Kickoff with a look at the Wildcats’ high-speed offense
Elizabeth Sandstrom
Quarterback Avery Johnson displays his speed during the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The Wildcats won the bowl game Dec 28, 2023 with a final score of 28-19 against North Carolina State.
In less than a month, fireworks and smoke will illuminate a sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium before a “Bring on the ‘Cats” call welcomes the 2024-25 Kansas State football squad to Wagner Field.
As the smoke clears, fireworks are expected to remain in the form of an explosive offense — one prepared to lead the team to soaring heights.
For head coach Chris Klieman, the key difference in this year’s offense is the next-level speed at their disposal.
“Our kids are fast — we’ve got really good speed now,” Klieman said. “We’ve just got to make sure that we find ways to get them the ball, and design some things to make sure that the touches go around.”
Like most competitive college programs, it starts with the quarterback. The long-awaited era of Avery Johnson as the starting quarterback has dawned in the Little Apple.
The true sophom*ore calls being the starting quarterback in Manhattan a “blessing.” While Avery Johnson can take over a game himself, such as his school record-tying five touchdowns against Texas Tech last year, he understands it is paramount to spread the wealth.
“We’ve looked really explosive,” Avery Johnson said. “We have a lot of playmakers — a lot of people that can do special things with the ball in their hands. It’s just my job to get it to them and let them go out there and do their thing.”
Sophom*ore running back Dylan Edwards — the Derby native and Colorado transfer — is one of the fastest players in the country. However, with returning junior running back DJ Giddens still running the show, Edwards will find more ways to be involved.
“I definitely want to prove that I’m a complete player — not just [running] back,” Edwards said. “Just to show defenses I can do more than one thing.”
Offensive coordinator Conor Riley and the rest of the coaching staff are completely on board with Edwards’ philosophy.
“We are pressing and putting a ton on his plate right now,” Riley said. “The versatility that he brings to our offense is clearly dynamic; he’s shown that skill set. We have challenged him with the intent of putting a lot on his plate.”
Giddens looks to expand his game as well. Trademarked as the Wildcats’ more bruising back, Giddens said the next step in his development is catching out of the backfield for “home-run” plays.
“[I want to show] that I have speed and I can catch,” Giddens said. “… Even though Deuce [Vaughn] has been gone for a couple years, I’m still looking back at his tape every day, every week studying this tape.”
Maximizing the potential of K-State’s explosive backfield lies in the hands of the offensive line — a unit that graduated three key contributors but doesn’t expect to lose a step.
Riley, also the offensive line coach, has an idea of how his group will line up this fall. Starting at left tackle, he expects North Dakota transfer Easton Kilty next to senior guard Hadley Panzer, junior Sam Hecht at center, graduate Taylor Poitier at right guard and senior Carver Willis at right tackle.
Panzer, Willis and Poitier all have experience starting for the Wildcats while Kilty and Hecht will earn their first starts for a power conference team.
Hecht, who made arguably the biggest jump into the presumed starting rotation, earned the coaches’ respect during the first weeks of camp.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with Sam Hecht,” Riley said. “… His attention to detail, his physicalness, his coachability, he doesn’t make a bunch of mistakes, he takes ownership. Those are things that I absolutely love with Sam now.”
Riley compares Hecht, a former walk-on from Shawnee, to the Wildcats’ last two starting centers, Hayden Gillum and Noah Johnson.
“Interestingly enough, the last two kids are Kansas walk-ons that have started at center,” Riley said. “And both of them have been pretty dang good — I expect that same thing from Sam Hecht.”
On the receiving end, K-State returns nearly a full unit of wide receivers, highlighted by junior Keagan Jonnson, who aims to put together a full, healthy season this fall.
“Keagan Johnson is a guy that, if we can keep him healthy, I think he’s one of the best wide receivers in the Big 12,” Klieman said.
His quarterback couldn’t agree more, saying anytime he sees single coverage on Keagan, the Johnson-to-Johnson connection will be his target.
Outside of Keagan Johnson, the wide receiver room has a deep mix of experienced and young playmakers. Jadon Jackson returns for a graduate season, joining Penn State transfer Dante Cephas as senior leaders.
Despite losing second-round NFL draft pick Ben Sinnott at tight end, Avery Johnson has liked what he’s seen out of the position group. Headliners in sophom*ore Garrett Oakley and senior Will Swanson have impressed as expected, but so have the young tight ends, namely sophom*ore Brayden Loftin.
“You know, here [at K-State] we’re going to utilize our tight ends, we’re going to use two, three guys at a time,” Avery Johnson said. “Everybody being able to go out there run routes, block, catch and just know what they’re doing. I’m really excited to see what they’re going to display this fall.”
With plenty of weapons at disposal, the Wildcats look to be dangerous on the offensive side of the ball. But, of course, the saying goes, “defense wins championships.”
Stay tuned next week for the Wildcats’ defensive preview as we count down the remaining three weeks until kickoff Saturday, Aug. 31 against UT Martin.
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